Festival of Songs

Zeke Martin Project - "Afro Blue"

Zeke Martin is the son of the late Stu Martin, who played with the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Charles Mingus, Dave Holland and Quincy Jones. At the age of 12, he got his musical debut with Steve Lacy in France. I've been following Zeke Martin since the release of his 2006 CD "Funky Stuff." Prior to that, Zeke had already made a name for himself, performing with Boston's Ed Jones Quartet and Ray Brown Quartet before starting his own group, The ZMP (Zeke Martin Project).

In addition to his own projects, both live and recorded, Zeke has appeared on various other projects including Lori Dow, Persian Blue, and the Mike Delledera Band. His live schedule over the next few months has him performing with The ZMP, as well as sets with Persian Blue, Pat Braxton, and Mystic Chorale before a month-long tour in Malaysia.

Links:
iTunes | Official | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | MySpace

Anders Osborne - "Lucky One"

Many of you have probably never heard of Anders Osborne, and if I had to guess, he probably likes it that way. He's written the number-one hit "Watchin the Wind Blow By" for Tim McGraw, two Grammy-winning songs for Keb Mo, as well as songs for Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang, and Jimmy Thackery. His songs have been performed live by many other artists, including "Lucky One" which Edwin McCain introduces by saying "There's a guy named Anders Osborne, and I feel like he wrote my life."

A few years ago, when I first heard Osborne's CD "Coming Down," two songs stood out for me - "Summertime in New Orleans" and "Lucky One," which anyone can relate to while going through life's trials and tribulations. In addition to featuring "Lucky One" by Anders Osborne, you can also check out the video, below, of Edwin McCain introducing and performing "Lucky One."

Anders' long-awaited, new CD "American Patchwork" will be released April 27th on Alligator Records, and features Pepper Keenan (of C.O.C. and DOWN) on Guitar,
Stanton Moore on Drums, and Robert Walters on Keyboards. After a two-week run of shows in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, Anders, Robert Walter, and Stanton Moore launch a six week double-bill tour featuring both Osborne's band and the Stanton Moore Trio.

Stay tuned as Festival of Songs will feature a track from "American Patchwork" to kick-off the release on April 27th!

Thingfish - "Good Ole Boys" (Cover)

First off, let me apologize for neglecting the site for the past few days. I purposely did not post songs over Easter weekend, but then we had an episode of "Appliance Gone Wild" at the house, and I just haven't been on the computer. So, I'm trying to get back on track.

With that said, today I present you with a cover tune... recorded live... with audio quality that leaves a lot to be desired. BUT, for this cover of the Dukes of Hazard theme song "Good Ole Boys," it just works. You get the feeling that this was recorded in a small, backwoods, good ole boy watering hole. Makes me want to dig up some old Dukes of Hazard DVD's (TV series, not the movie).

The band is Thingfish, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and they are currently recording their debut CD of original music. The core of Thingfish was formed back in 1990 by friends, Tracy McGinnis and Chad Moreno. After taking time for other projects (Tracy is the lead-singer for the Louisiana metal band, CHOKE), they eventually reformed as an acoustic duo. Soon after, they added a full band and started performing 4 to 5 times a month, both acoustic and electric. Keep an eye out for their debut CD, and if you're in the Southwest Louisiana region, go check them out!

Members: Tracy McGinnis, Chad Moreno, Jackie Crittenden, Brian Fruge, Jason Hine, Alaistar White, Brian Moore

Links:
Reverb Nation | Facebook | bebo

Victoria Vox - "Summertime"

From the looks of her website, Victoria Vox has been a busy woman! In fact over the last six years, she has averaged 125+ gigs a year, including numerous dates in Europe and Canad. She has also released three CD's, appeared on various compilations, and released a custom Christmas card filled with original Christmas songs. And, did I mention she appeared on Leno last December?

Set to record her latest CD, Exact Change, later this month, Victoria gives us a preview of what to expect. I was actually sitting at the Starbucks cafe inside Target when I received the songs from Victoria. Upon listening to "Summertime," I immediately thought how refreshing this is. And, I can't wait to feature more from Victoria in the future! In fact, maybe you'll get another preview from Exact Change before it's released on April 20th.

Victoria's tour schedule remains very busy, with shows booked over the next few months in Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin before heading to California for gigs in San Diego, Huntington Beach, and Los Angeles. Then, in mid-May, Victoria heads across the pond for a few shows in Europe. Check her website for specific dates, but definitely go see her live!

Links:
Official | iTunes | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | MySpace

Woody Lissauer - "John Barleycorn Must Die"

Woody Lissauer is still a new name to me, but from what I've heard so far, he is a multi-talented songwriter, composer, producer, and performer from Baltimore. He has toured the world with major label acts, and has infused his solo music with his own "Astro Folk" sound. If you're not familiar with his recording of "John Barleycorn Must Die," it is an English Traditional in which 'John Barleycorn' is a personification of the cereal crop barley, and of the beer and whiskey that is made from it. Woody is currently back in the studio, but has a few shows scheduled in and around Baltimore, including the invitation-only Poezia Gitara (Poetry of Guitars).

Links:
Official | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube